UNH to Lead Statewide Rural Healthcare Workforce Expansion

UNH to Lead Statewide Rural Healthcare Workforce Expansion
University joins effort to design and implement workforce strategies that attract, train, and retain rural healthcare professionals
March 17, 2026
Author
Tania deLuzuriaga

On March 16, the New Hampshire Executive Council approved $15.6 million in year one rural health transformation funding to the Âé¶ąapp, on behalf of the University System of New Hampshire (USNH), and up to $97 million over the next five years, to strengthen and expand New Hampshire’s healthcare workforce. The award is funded through the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Rural Health Transformation Program.

UNH will play a central leadership role across USNH, and in partnership with the Community College System of New Hampshire, private educational institutions, and rural healthcare providers, to design and implement innovative workforce strategies that attract, train, and retain highly skilled rural healthcare professionals. These efforts will expand training capacity, upskill the current workforce, and strengthen rural healthcare delivery systems across the state.

The initiative includes:

  • Launching a Cooperative Simulation Learning Infrastructure for rural health workforce development, through place-based clinical simulation hubs and mobile simulation units that bring advanced training directly into rural and underserved communities across New Hampshire; and
  • The Governor’s Health Awards Program, designed to increase the number of healthcare professionals working in rural New Hampshire and strengthen New Hampshire’s rural healthcare services workforce through creating pathways into healthcare careers and supporting learners at every stage of training.

“UNH is honored to lead this statewide effort to support New Hampshire’s clinical training infrastructure by connecting rural communities, providers, and students to create career opportunities and support the health care needs of Granite Staters,” says Kirsten Corazzini, dean of UNH’s College of Health and Human Services. “USNH, working alongside the Community College System of New Hampshire, private educational partners, and in full collaboration with communities and providers across our state, looks forward to growing our rural healthcare workforce through sustainable innovation.”

Through this coordinated effort, UNH is helping to build a durable, sustainable, statewide healthcare workforce development model — one that expands opportunity for learners, strengthens community health systems, and ensures that all Granite Staters have access to high-quality care close to home.

This project is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $15,684,232 with 100% funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. government.

Published
March 17, 2026
Author
Tania deLuzuriaga
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